Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an overload indicator for a hoist, and more particularly to an overload indicator for use with a chain hoist.
Description of the Related Art
A hoist may be used to lift or lower objects or to exert a tension force in a desired direction. A hoist may be manually operated, electrically operated, pneumatically operated, or powered by some other power source. A hoist typically uses a chain, fiber rope or wire rope as the lifting medium. Hoists are used in a wide variety of industries and situations.
Many hoists are assigned a rated capacity as the maximum load that should he lifted by the hoist. Even though hoists may be designed with a safety margin above the rated capacity, a hoist can be damaged by lifting loads beyond its rated capacity, particularly if the load is several times the rated capacity of the hoist. The damage caused to the hoist by lifting too heavy of a load may not be apparent to the user or another person, such as a tool crib manager. Subsequent use of the damaged hoist may result in failure of the hoist,